Holy Nativity Church Update  May 20, 2015
The Episcopal Church
of the Holy Nativity

 

May 9 East Honolulu Regional Confirmation at Holy Nativity at 10:30 am (coffee hour hosted by Holy Nativity following the service)

 

May 26 Vestry Meeting 6:30 pm

 

May 27 Daughters of the King (DOK) chapter meeting, 7 pm in the Chapel

 

May 28 Holy Nativity School last day of school and graduation

 

May 30 DOK Women's Retreat featuring Lindsay Hardin Freeman, author of "Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter;" click here for more information

 

June 2 and 16 Farmers Market in the church parking lot 5 - 7:30 pm

 

 

Worship Schedule:

  Wednesday 10 am

  Sunday 7:30 and 9:30 am

  Sunday School 9:30 am

 

Rector

Rev. Debra Vanover

revdeb.hi@gmail.com

 

The Vestry

Sr. Warden: Barb Poole-Street

Jr. Warden: Eva Eglinton

Treasurer: Greg Kwan

Lila Johnson, Mike LeHouck, Tusi Mayer, Bonnie Stevens, John Verghese, Gretchen Yamaguchi

 

Office Hours

Closed Mondays

Tues-Fri 9 am - 2 pm

(808) 373-2131

Holynativity@gmail.com

www.holynativityhawaii.org

 

Parish Administrator

Annabeth Stem (part time)

astem@holynativityschool.org

 

Parish Bookkeeper

Didi Wong (part-time)

dwong@holynativityschool.org

 

 

 

Serving May 24
7:30 am service
Lector - Shauna Nakamura
Prayers/EM - Vivian Tom
Ushers - Jim Pavelle, Kanani Souza
Refreshments - 

9:30 am service
Lectors - Sumner Howard, Mark Slovak
Prayers - Greg Kwan
EMs - Louisa LeRoux
Ushers - David Buck, Ethan Street, Steve Street
Refreshments - Yamaguchi Family

Altar Guild - Delia Moore's team

 

Serving May 31

 

7:30 am service
Lector - Kim Garner
Prayers/EM - Linda Sayegusa
Ushers - Mike LeHouck, Chris Souza
Refreshments - 

9:30 am service
Lectors - John Verghese, John Roberts
Prayers - Cynthia Ramirez
EMs - Michele Cockett
Ushers - Rich Miller, Ed Moore
Refreshments - 

Altar Guild - Lorraine Mau's team 

 

Readings

Sunday, May 24
First Reading: Acts 2:1-21
Psalm 104:25-35, 37
Second Reading: Romans 8:22-27
Gospel: John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15

Sunday, May 31
First Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8
Psalm 29
Second Reading: Romans 8:12-17
Gospel: John 3:1-17

 

Last Sunday's Attendance
7:30 am service - 27
9:30 am service - 62

Average Attendance Year to Date
7:30 am service - 29
9:30 am service - 73

 

Prayer List

  

Aileen, Christopher, Sarah, Don, Rick, Sappel McCracken, Chris Stingle, Jonathan, Rev. Margot Critchfield, Cynthia, and Marie Kerry

 

Holy Nativity School
Tim Spurrier,  Head of School
(808) 373-3232

Holy Nativity School is dedicated to excellence in education within a small and personalized environment. Built upon the qualities of respect and inclusion, as exemplified in the Episcopal tradition, Holy Nativity School values each child's individuality as it develops principled citizens who recognize their role in a global community.

Click here to visit the School website.


Holy Nativity Thrift Shop
Caroline Bond Davis, Manager
(808) 373-3744

Wednesdays and Fridays  9 am - 3 pm
Saturdays  9 am - 12 noon

Click here to visit the Thrift Shop website.

 

The Season of Pentecost

 

Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the twelve apostles, Jesus' mother and family, and many other of His disciples gathered together in Jerusalem for the Jewish harvest festival that was celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover. While they were indoors praying, a sound like that of a rushing wind filled the house and tongues of fire descended and rested over each of their heads. This was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on human flesh promised by God. The disciples were suddenly empowered to proclaim the gospel of the risen Christ. They went out into the streets of Jerusalem and began preaching to the crowds gathered for the festival. Not only did the disciples preach with boldness and vigor, but by a miracle of the Holy Spirit they spoke in the native languages of the people present, many of whom had come from all corners of the Roman Empire. The apostle Peter seized the moment and addressed the crowd, preaching to them about Jesus' death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. The result was that about three thousand converts were baptized that day. The account can be found in the Acts of the Apostles 2:1-41.

 

Pentecost is the great festival that marks the birth of the Christian church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost means "fiftieth day" and is celebrated fifty days after Easter Sunday. The Day of Pentecost is one of the seven principal feasts of the church year in the Episcopal Church (BCP p. 15). 

 

The season after Pentecost, according to the calendar of the church year (BCP p. 32), begins on the Monday following Pentecost, and continues through most of the summer and autumn. It may include as many as twenty-eight Sundays, depending on the date of Easter. This includes Trinity Sunday which is the First Sunday after Pentecost. This period is also understood by some as "ordinary time," a period of the church year not dedicated to a particular season or observance.

 

Red is the liturgical color for Pentecost Sunday. Red recalls the tongues of flame in which the Holy Spirit descended on the first Pentecost. A tradition of some churches in ancient times was to baptize adult converts to the faith on Pentecost. The newly baptized catechumens would wear white robes on that day, so Pentecost was often called "Whitsunday" or "White Sunday" after these white baptismal garments. Many Christian calendars, liturgies, and hymnals still use this term.

 
Nellie Hartman Fund
"Here I Am Send Me" Grants
Awarded for Spring 2015
In 1993, devoted Holy Nativity parishioner Nellie Hartman established a charitable trust to generate funds for a program she called "Here I Am, Send Me," with Holy Nativity Church as the administrator. In her papers, Ms. Hartman described the program as one that would support and benefit young people who were preparing for a life of Christian service.  Ms. Hartman explained that, as a child, her Sunday School class chose "Here I Am" as their group name. Ms. Hartman wrote that the message from Isaiah 6:8 "guided me, picked me up, opened many doors for me, and it's had a major role in developing the person I have become...." 

Each year, Holy Nativity Church uses the proceeds from Ms. Hartman's Trust to provide grants to young people for Christian study and development through the "Here I Am, Send Me" grant program. This spring, the committee and vestry selected two young women to receive grants: Jasmine Bostock and Holly Hood.
Jasmine "Jazzy" Bostock
"Here I Am, Send Me" 
Grant Award Recipient
Spring 2015

Jazzy Bostock is pursuing a

Master of Divinity at the Yale Divinity School and a Master of Social Work at the University of Connecticut. She was awarded a grant to assist with tuition and other expenses related to her dual degree program.

 

Jazzy felt the call to priesthood at an early age and flourished at St. Clement's, the church her family made their home after moving to Hawaii when Jazzy was eight years old. Throughout high school and college, Jazzy remained committed to the church and, as a college undergrad, completed an internship at the World Council of Churches in Geneva, Switzerland. After college, she interned at St. James Parish on the Big Island and at the Maori Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand before enrolling in her current dual degree program.
Holly Hood
"Here I Am, Send Me" 
Grant Award Recipient
Spring 2015

Holly Hood received a grant to fund a Young Adult Ministry at Holy Nativity Church. Holly, who relocated to Honolulu from Texas last year, has been organizing hikes and other activities for a group of young adults from Holy Nativity since last fall. In getting to know the young adults, she felt called to start a more formal program of Christian formation, fellowship, and service for the group. She will use the Hartman Fund grant to conduct a young adult faith-deepening retreat, book study, participation in Daughters of the King activities, and more hiking outings.

In her application, Holly describes how her faith journey began as a child, worshipping with her grandmother during summer vacations and holidays. She found "a home for my heart" in the campus ministry in college and served as co-president of that group for three years. After college, she worked as Youth Ministries Director at First United Methodist Church in San Marcos, Texas, planning and facilitating activities for 6th-12th grade kids.

East and West Oahu Regional Confirmation Service
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Holy Nativity Church





Collection for the Lopez Family

Thank you to everyone who contributed last month to help the family of Holy Nativity Maintenance Supervisor Rafael Lopez upon the death of Joe, his son-in-law. Rafael and his family were able to accompany Joe's body to California for a funeral service with Joe's family, which was very important to them. Upon their return, Rafael stopped by the church office to express his sincere thanks to all the church members for their kindness and support.  

Rafael's family continues to struggle with their grief as well as with a challenging financial situation resulting from the loss of a primary wage-earner. If you would like to contribute further or offer assistance in any way, please contact the church office at 373-2131 or speak with Rev. Deb.

Camp Mokule'ia

Summer 2015

Two Weeks of Rest, Relaxation, and Renewal

 

Hui Pu Summer Camp

Ahe (3-5 graders): June 26-28th

Lokahi (middle schoolers): June 28-July 3

'Opio (high schoolers):  July 5-July 10

Click here for complete camp registration information.

 

Ministry Weekend June 26-28

Explore various form of ministry that enrich the life of our church:

(a) Godly Play is a way of telling stories of our faith so beautifully that we can wonder and reflect on them. 

(b) Educating for Ministry (EfM) is a an education-at-a-distance course which provides lay Episcopalians and others with the education to carry out the effective ministry to which all who are baptized are called.

 

Family Arts Camp Mokule'ia July 2-5

Open to all and focused on relaxing activities from arts and crafts to cooperative games. Materials and supplies will be available for folks to use in groups or alone. Anyone with a fun leisure activity is invited to share it.

 

The Outward Journey June 29-July 3 and July 6-10

Active workers can help restore a cottage for group gatherings and retreats. Bring your hammers and work clothes to share your service as an expression of faith and an attitude of worship.

 

The Inward Journey June 29-July 3 and July 6-10

Quiet time is available for personal retreats. Spiritual direction and guided meditation will be available for part of this time.

 

Space is also available for: church retreats, family vacations, bible study gatherings, choir retreats, and vestry retreats. For more information, contact the camp at (808) 637-6241 or visit their website here.

 

Parishioner Particulars

News and Notes about our Parish Ohana

 

Jacob Frank Mayer, son of John and Tusi Mayer, graduated suma cum laude GPA 3.9 from UH Manoa with Bachelor in Pacific Island Studies. Congratulations Jacob!

 

Julia Yamaguchi, daughter of Eric and Gretchen Yamaguchi, received a Bishop's Scholarship Fund grant towards her tuition at the 'Iolani School for the 2015-16 school year. Julia will be in the 7th grade a 'Iolani School next year. Congratulations Julia!

 

Mistere Vanover, Rev. Deb's daughter, received a scholarship from the Diocese's Chang Clergy Children's Scholarship Fund for the 2015-16 school year. Mistere is pursuing her undergraduate degree at Chaminade University. Congratulations Mistere!

 

Have some news about yourself, your family, or another Holy Nativity member to share? Send it to us at holynativity@gmail.com or call the church office at 373-2131 and we'll include your item in an upcoming newsletter. Mahalo! 

O God: Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean and to live so honesty and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness; and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls; in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.